Transall C-160
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The Transall C-160 is a
military transport aircraft A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military aircraft, military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to ma ...
, produced as a joint venture between
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. "
Transall Transall (''Transport Allianz'') was a consortium created to design and manufacture the Transall C-160 military transport aircraft. Established in 1959, the company was initially a joint venture between Nord Aviation of France and Weser Flugzeu ...
" is an abbreviation of the manufacturing consortium Transporter Allianz, comprising the companies of MBB, Aerospatiale, and
VFW-Fokker VFW-Fokker GmbH was a joint venture of Fokker and Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke (VFW) started in 1969 that, from then on, controlled the ERNO initiative. The Entwicklungsring Nord (Northern development circle) — abbreviated ERNO — was a ...
. It was initially developed to meet the requirements for a modern transport aircraft for the French and
German Air Force The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...
s; export sales were also made to
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
and to
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
, as well as a small number to civilian operators. The C-160 remains in service more than 50 years after the type's first flight in 1963. It has provided logistical support to overseas operations and has served in specialist roles such as an
aerial refueling Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft a ...
tanker,
electronic intelligence Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ( ...
gathering, and as a communications platform. The C-160 is going to be replaced in French and German service by the
Airbus A400M Atlas The Airbus A400M AtlasNamed after the Greek mythological figure. is a European four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was designed by Airbus Military (now Airbus Defence and Space) as a tactical airlifter with strategic capabil ...
, and a small number of Lockheed-Martin C-130J Super Hercules operated in a multinational unit.


Development


Origins

In the late 1950s, a requirement arose to replace the piston-engined
Nord Noratlas The Nord Noratlas was a dedicated military transport aircraft, developed and manufactured by French aircraft manufacturer Nord Aviation. Development commenced during the late 1940s with the aim of producing a suitable aircraft to replace the nu ...
transports operated by the air forces of both France (''Armée de l'Air'') and Germany (''Luftwaffe''). Keen to encourage industrial co-operation between the two countries, as had happened under a previous arrangement in which Noratlases for German service had been built under license by
Weser Flugzeugbau Weser Flugzeugbau GmbH, known as Weserflug, was an aircraft manufacturing company in Germany. History The company was founded in 1934 as a subsidiary of the ship and machine company Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG (DESCHIMAG). It began prod ...
, France and Germany signed an agreement for the development of a Noratlas successor on 28 November 1957. The Italian government also became involved in the project early on to meet their own requirements, however Italy's participation in the fledgling program was soon terminated in favour of the smaller and locally-built
Fiat G.222 The Aeritalia G.222 (formerly Fiat Aviazione, later Alenia Aeronautica) is a medium-sized STOL military transport aircraft. It was developed to meet a NATO specification, but Italy was initially the only NATO member to adopt the type. The Unite ...
. The consortium, "Transporter-Allianz" or Transall, was formed in January 1959 between the French company
Nord Aviation Nord-Aviation ( en, Northern Aviation) was a state-owned French aircraft manufacturer. The bulk of its facilities were based on the site of Bourges airport, in the département of Cher, in central France. On 1 October 1954, Nord Aviation was cr ...
and the German companies Weser Flugzeugbau (which became
Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke Vereinigte Flugtechnische Werke (VFW) was a West German aerospace manufacturer. The company was formed by the 1964 merger of two German aerospace firms, Focke-Wulf and Weser Flugzeugbau GmbH (Weserflug). The formation of VFW was a natural outco ...
(VFW) in 1964) and
Hamburger Flugzeugbau ''Hamburger Flugzeugbau'' (HFB) was an aircraft manufacturer, located primarily in the Finkenwerder quarter of Hamburg, Germany. Established in 1933 as an offshoot of Blohm & Voss shipbuilders, it later became an operating division within its pare ...
(HFB) to design and build the new transport.Wilson ''Flight International'' 25 April 1968, p. 614.Pletschacher ''Air International'' June 1981, p. 286. The new aircraft was required to carry a cargo over a range of or a load of over a range of and be able to operate out of semi-prepared airstrips.Wilson ''Flight International'' 25 April 1968, pp. 614–615. One prototype was built by each of the production partners, with the first (built by Nord) flying on 25 February 1963, with the VFW and HFB-built prototypes following on 25 May 1963 and 19 February 1964.Wilson ''Flight International'' 25 April 1968, p. 615. These were followed by six pre-production examples, stretched by compared with the prototypes, which flew between 1965 and 1966.Wilson ''Flight International'' 25 April 1968, p. 616.


Production

Production orders were delayed by attempts by Lockheed to sell its
C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
transport to Germany; these attempts were rebuffed, and a contract was signed for 160 C-160s (110 for Germany and 50 for France) on 24 September 1964. Manufacturing work was split between Germany and France in line with the number of orders placed; Nord built the wings and engine nacelles, VFW the centre fuselage and horizontal tail, and HFB the forward and rear fuselage. The aircraft's tail fin was to be built by Dornier. Three production lines were set up to assemble these components at each of the three main partners. The first production airframes were delivered to France and Germany from 1967. The first batch included 110 ''C-160D''s for the German Air Force (''Luftwaffe''), 50 ''C-160F''s for the
French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
, and nine ''C-160Z''s for the
South African Air Force "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...
. Four C-160Fs were converted to ''C-160P'' air mail transport aircraft, and were operated by
Air France Air France (; formally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global air ...
.Pletschacher ''Air International'' June 1981, p. 289. Production continued until October 1972. In July 1977, France placed an order for 25 aircraft to be built to an improved standard.Pletschacher ''Air International'' June 1981, p. 285. Production work for the new variant was split 50-50 between
Aérospatiale Aérospatiale (), sometimes styled Aerospatiale, was a French state-owned aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société nationale industrielle aérospatiale ( ...
(the successor to Nord) and MBB (which had absorbed VFW and HFB), with a single assembly line in
Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...
. The cargo loading door on the port side of the fuselage was replaced by provision for additional fuel tanks in the wing centre section. When fitted these tanks increased fuel capacity from to . The aircraft were also fitted with updated avionics.Pletschacher ''Air International'' June 1981, pp. 286–287. The first second generation C-160 took flight in 1981.Chant 1987, p. 472. Aircraft produced in this batch included 29 for France (an additional four non-standard aircraft were constructed for special missions), and 6 for Indonesia.Blumschein 1999, p. A26-2.


Design


Overview

The Transall C-160 is a twin-engine tactical transport featuring a cargo hold, a rear-access ramp beneath an upswept tail, a high-mounted wing and turboprop engines. The C-160 is designed to perform cargo and troop transport duties, aerial delivery of supplies and equipment and is designed to be compatible with international railway
loading gauge A loading gauge is a diagram or physical structure that defines the maximum height and width dimensions in railway vehicles and their loads. Their purpose is to ensure that rail vehicles can pass safely through tunnels and under bridges, and ke ...
s to simplify cargo logistics and loading. In flight the cargo area is pressurised and kept at a constant temperature by integrated air conditioning systems.Wache 2004, p. 100. Additionally, the landing gear can be partially retracted while on the ground. This lowers the C-160, making it easier to move vehicles into the hold as they don't need to climb a ramp. One aspect of the C-160 that made the type well suited to tactical operations is its short airfield performance, including the ability to perform steep descents of up to 20 degrees and perform landings on airstrips as short as 400 meters. In the airlift role, a later production C-160 could carry up to 8.5 tons across a distance of 5,000 kilometers, and take off from airstrips as short as 700 meters. Dependent upon aircraft configuration, a single aircraft could airdrop as many as 88
paratrooper A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World ...
s or transport up to 93 equipped troops.Rouvez, Coco and Paddack 1994, p. 96. The C-160 is powered by a pair of
Rolls-Royce Tyne The Rolls-Royce RB.109 Tyne is a twin-shaft turboprop engine developed in the mid to late 1950s by Rolls-Royce Limited to a requirement for the Vickers Vanguard airliner. It was first test flown during 1956 in the nose of a modified Avro Linc ...
turboprop engines, which drive a pair of four-bladed
Dowty Rotol Dowty Propellers is a British engineering company based in Brockworth, Gloucestershire that specialises in the manufacture, repair and overhaul of propellers and propeller components for customers around the world. It is owned by General Elect ...
propellers. Advantages of the twin-engine configuration over four include reduced unit and production cost, lower weight and fuel consumption, simplified design and reliability. Each engine is equipped with an auxiliary generator system, providing the aircraft with both electricity and hydraulic pressure.Wache 2004, p. 96. An
auxiliary power unit An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles. Aircraft APUs generally produce 115&n ...
(
General Electric CJ610 The General Electric CJ610 is a non-afterburning turbojet engine derived from the military J85, and is used on a number of civilian business jets. The model has logged over 16.5 million hours of operation. Civilian versions have powered busines ...
) is used to power the aircraft while on the ground, and for rare use in mid-air emergencies.Wache 2004, p. 97.


Upgrades and improvements

An updated second generation of the C-160 was produced during the 1980s. Amongst changes made, the new variant was equipped with additional fuel tankage, aerial refuelling probes and enhanced avionics. While there were considerable changes to instrumentation, including the navigational and autopilot systems, the second generation C-160 retained the original operating characteristics to simplify crew transfers between types. The second generation C-160s were also designed for potential adaptation to other roles such as maritime patrol and aerial fire fighting. The C-160 proved to be a versatile aircraft, leading to a long operational service life. Between its introduction and 1999, approximately 2000 modifications and upgrades were incorporated upon the type, split 60/40 between the structure and equipment respectively.Blumschein 1999, p. A26-4. Many changes were made over time in regards to the aircraft's avionics, incorporating new features such as
GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
and laser inertial navigation systems, modern autopilot and crew management systems.Blumschein 1999, p. A26-4-5. Other improvements and additions to the type include
kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s a ...
armour, electronic warfare management systems, chaff/flare dispensers, missile approach warning systems and TCAS collision warning system. Extensive efforts have been made by both France and Germany to extend the aircraft's operating lifespan up to and if necessary beyond 55 years to 2018.Blumschein 1999, p. A26-1-3. In 2003–2004, Germany signed separate contracts with
Terma A/S Terma A/S is a Danish weapon and aerospace manufacturer for both civilian and military applications, and is owned by the Danish company Thrige Holding A/S. It is Denmark's largest company within the aerospace and weapon industry, employing approx ...
and
Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 90,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military techn ...
to upgrade the aircraft's electronic warfare self-protection and missile approach warning systems.


Operational history

In July 1974, Turkish Air Force used 7 C160Ds during the so called "Cyprus Peace Operation" (i.e. the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus), to transport troops, drop paratroopers and carry supplies. Having joined to the Turkish armed forces in 1971, these aircraft provided great amount of lift during the operation. In April 1976, the French Air Force used 12 C-160s in support of Operation Verveine, airlifting Moroccan troops and equipment to
Zaïre Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (french: République du Zaïre, link=no, ), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, ...
during a border conflict with
Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...
. In May 1978, several C-160s dropped paratroopers of the
French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...
during the
Battle of Kolwezi The Battle of Kolwezi was an airborne operation by French and Belgian airborne forces that took place in May 1978 in Zaire during the Shaba II invasion of Zaire by the Front for the National Liberation of the Congo (FLNC). It aimed at rescuing Eu ...
. In 1977, the French Air Force ordered an updated version designated ''C-160NG'', for ''Nouvelle Génération'' ("New Generation"). From 1981, 29 of these aircraft were delivered, half of them configured as
tanker aircraft This is a list of tanker aircraft used for aerial refuelling of another aircraft whilst in powered flight. Refueling methods ;Looped hose: The first commercial method employed a hose which was held slack in a trailing half-loop behind both aircr ...
for
aerial refuelling Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft a ...
. Another four were configured as ''C-160H Astarté''
TACAMO TACAMO (Take Charge And Move Out) is a United States military system of survivable communications links designed to be used in nuclear warfare to maintain communications between the decision-makers (the National Command Authority) and the t ...
aircraft for communication with submerged
submarines A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely o ...
, a vital component of France's
nuclear deterrent Nuclear strategy involves the development of doctrines and strategies for the production and use of nuclear weapons. As a sub-branch of military strategy, nuclear strategy attempts to match nuclear weapons as means to political ends. In additi ...
system. In a final conversion, two aircraft were furnished for
SIGINT Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ( ...
electronic surveillance, designated ''C-160G Gabriel'', replacing the Noratlases that had been in this role previously. In routine operations, the C-160Gs would often supplement France's
Boeing E-3 Sentry The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft developed by Boeing. E-3s are commonly known as AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System). Derived from the Boeing 707 airliner, it provides all-wea ...
AWACS aircraft.Aid and Wiebes 2001, p. 198. In 1991, a SIGINT-equipped C-160G was deployed as part of France's contribution to Coalition forces during and after the
Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
to support a
no-fly zone A no-fly zone, also known as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ), is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in an enemy power's te ...
and embargoing of
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. C-160s were in continuous use to support French bases in sub-Saharan Africa; the tanker variants also proved valuable in supporting African operations.Rouvez, Coco and Paddack 1994, pp. 97–98. The C-160 fleet was the staple of the French military airlift capability for many years, supplemented by small numbers of
McDonnell Douglas DC-8 The Douglas DC-8 (sometimes McDonnell Douglas DC-8) is a long-range narrow-body airliner built by the American Douglas Aircraft Company. After losing the May 1954 US Air Force tanker competition to the Boeing KC-135, Douglas announced in July ...
s,
CASA/IPTN CN-235 The CASA/IPTN CN-235 is a medium-range twin-engined transport aircraft that was jointly developed by CASA of Spain and Indonesian manufacturer IPTN. It is operated as both a regional airliner and military transport; its primary military roles ...
and
Lockheed C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally design ...
as of 1990.Rouvez, Coco and Paddack 1994, pp. 96–97. During the
South African Border War The South African Border War, also known as the Namibian War of Independence, and sometimes denoted in South Africa as the Angolan Bush War, was a largely asymmetric conflict that occurred in Namibia (then South West Africa), Zambia, and Angol ...
during the late 1980s, the South African Air Force's C-160s were vital for deploying and supplying troops in the border region and into positions in southern
Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...
due to the otherwise-impassable terrain. The importance of airpower in the war led to a great deal of the fighting being centred upon remote airstrips, both sides trying to gain or deny the same advantageous positions and place stress upon the opposing force's logistical efforts. In one particular mission, a C-160 was used to move a captured
SA-8 The 9K33 ''Osa'' (, literally "wasp"; NATO reporting name SA-8 ''Gecko'') is a highly mobile, low-altitude, short-range tactical surface-to-air missile system developed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and fielded in 1972. Its export version ...
from Angola to South Africa. The C-160 was chosen for this task over the
C-130 The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desig ...
because of its larger cargo hold and its ability to lower its hull while on the ground, which facilitated the loading of the heavy vehicle. The C-160 has been a prominent component of several other international efforts. Germany's C-160 fleet has been used to support
peacekeeping Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare. Within the United N ...
efforts in
Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
, a regular detachment of C-160s was also dispatched in support of the multinational
International Security Assistance Force ' ps, کمک او همکاري ' , allies = Afghanistan , opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda , commander1 = , commander1_label = Commander , commander2 = , commander2_label = , commander3 = , comman ...
presence in the
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. Both French and German C-160s were used in supporting
Operation Serval Operation Serval (french: Opération Serval) was a French military operation in Mali. The aim of the operation was to oust Islamic militants from the north of Mali, who had begun a push into the center of Mali. Operation Serval followed the ...
, the French-led intervention in the
Northern Mali conflict {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Mali War , partof = the Islamist insurgency in the Sahel and the War on terror , image = MaliWar.svg , image_size = 380 , caption = Military situation ...
. For either humanitarian or military purposes, C-160s have conducted extensive operations in a number of nations, including
Mauritania Mauritania (; ar, موريتانيا, ', french: Mauritanie; Berber: ''Agawej'' or ''Cengit''; Pulaar: ''Moritani''; Wolof: ''Gànnaar''; Soninke:), officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania ( ar, الجمهورية الإسلامية ...
,
Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesChad Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
,
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
,
Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...
, and
Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
. Starting in 1984 onwards, German airframes underwent LEDA I and LEDA II life extension measures, which were focused on the wings. Subsequent programs carried out in the 1990s, such as LEDA III, concentrated on the whole structure of the aircraft; raising the airframe life from 8,000 flights to 12,000 flights, and introducing new avionics systems such as a self-defence system and a replacement flight management system.Blumschein 1999, p. A26-1. From 1994 to 1999, all French C-160s underwent an avionics upgrade and the addition of new anti-missile countermeasures. The C-160Fs and NGs so updated were redesignated ''C-160R'' (''Renové''—"renovated"). In 2009, the French Defence Ministry announced a modernisation of the C-160 fleet, enabling it to continue in service until 2018 if required. In late 2011, it was announced that Germany's Transall fleet had accumulated a combined total of one million flight hours. , the global C-160 fleet was approaching the end of its service life; all South African C-160s have already been retired, while the
Turkish Air Force The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known t ...
continued to operate 20 aircraft obtained from Germany (''C-160T''). To replace the Transall, the German, French and South African Air Forces ordered 60, 50 and eight
Airbus A400M The Airbus A400M AtlasNamed after the Greek mythological figure. is a European four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was designed by Airbus Military (now Airbus Defence and Space) as a tactical airlifter with strategic capabil ...
s, respectively; the South African order was later cancelled. In 2015, it was announced that the retirement of Germany's Transall fleet had been pushed back from 2018 to 2021 due to delays with the Airbus A400M; until 2021, a decreasing number of aircraft shall remain in service to perform missions that require the Transall's self-protection suite. The last German Transall wing was disbanded in December 2021.


Variants

;Prototypes :Three prototypes were built, one by each production company. * V1 was built by Nord Aviation at Bourges, France and first flew on 25 February 1963. * V2 was built by VFW at Lemwerder, Germany and first flew on 25 May 1963 * V3 was built by HFB at Hamburg-Finkenwerder and first flew on 19 February 1964. ;Pre-production ;C-160A :Six pre-production aircraft were built for Franco-German trials.The Observer's Book of Basic Aircraft, William Green, 1968. ;Proposed versions ;C-160C :Proposed commercial derivative, including a stretched 150-passenger version.


First-generation production

The initial production run of 169 aircraft were built by the three companies in France and Germany; Nord built 56 aircraft, VFW built 57 aircraft and HFB/MBB 56 (HFB became part of Messerchmitt-Bolkow-Blohm in 1969 during the production run). All three production lines produced a mixture of aircraft for France and Germany but the South African aircraft were all built by Nord. ;C-160D :Production aircraft for the West German Air Force; 110 were built. Twenty of these aircraft were delivered to Turkish Air Force in 1971 as C-160T. A few of the remaining German C-160 were fitted with the self-protection suite called ''ESS''. ;C-160F :Production aircraft for the French Air and Space Force; 50 were built. ;C-160P :Conversion of four C-160Fs for use by the French Postal Service. ;C-160Z :Production aircraft for the South African Air Force; nine were built.


Second-generation production

From 1981 on, some new C-160 reached the wings of Armee de l'Air. The now C-160NG (Nouvelle Generation, New Generation) called aircraft has a fifth fuel tank in the middle of the wing above the fuselage, a refueling probe while the left side cargo door was removed. Some first-production series C-160F were fitted with the NG-versions changes and renamed C-160R (Renové). Beside these changes, French Air Force introduced the ''C-160G Gabriel'', a version for electronic reconnaissance, easily to distinguish because of the antennas fitted to the aircraft. Until the early 2000s, also the ''C-160H Astarte'' was used, while Astarté (Avion Station Relais de Transmissions Exceptionelles), meaning "airborne relay station for special transmissions", was used for communication with submerged French nuclear submarines.


Operators


Military operators

; *
French Air and Space Force The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
– 78 * 50 C-160F (+ 3 pre-production aircraft) : ** 61e Escadre de Transport at
Orléans – Bricy Air Base Orléans – Bricy Air Base (french: Base aérienne 123 « Commandant Charles Paoli ») is a French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'air et de l'espace) (ALAE) base. The base is located approximately north-northwesst of Ingré near the city of Or ...
(the wing used a centralised aircraft maintenance system and the Transalls did not carry individual squadron markings) *** Escadron de Transport 1/61 Touraine was the first French squadron which operated the C-160F, from November 1967 to 2012. Now has received its first A-400Ms ; *** Escadron de Transport 2/61 Franche-Comté operated the C-160F from August 1969 to 1988. Now uses the
C-130H Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desig ...
; *** Escadron de Transport 3/61 Poitou has been operating the C-160F since October 1970, and still has some aging planes, due to delays in the development program of the new Airbus A-400M transport aircraft. * 25 C-160NG : ** 64e Escadre de Transport at
Évreux-Fauville Air Base Évreux-Fauville Air Base (''Base aérienne 105 Évreux'' or BA 105) is a French Air and Space Force base located about 2 miles (3 km) east of the town of Évreux in the Eure ''département'', on the north side of the Route nationale 13 ...
*** Escadron de Transport 1/64 Béarn, has been operating its aircraft since December 1981 until unknown; *** Escadron de Transport 2/64 Anjou, has been operating its aircraft since April 1982 ; ** Two of these NG variant aircraft have been transformed into the electronic warfare variant C-160G "Gabriel", used in the "
Escadron électronique aéroporté 1/54 Dunkerque Escadron électronique aéroporté 00.054 Dunkerque is an electronic warfare unit of the French Air and Space Force equipped with the Transall C-160G "Gabriel"s and Beechcraft King Air 350ER "Vader"s. It was stationed at Metz-Frescaty Air Base (BA ...
" (Airborne Electronic Squadron) ; ** Four NGs have been converted into the C-160H communications relay variant, in use in the " Escadron avion 1/59 Bigorre" ( Châteaudun Air Base) between 1988 and 2001. They are now retired and used as spare parts providers ; ** Between 1973 and 1985, four C-160F have been converted to a C-160P variant, which was used by the Aéropostale company. They are now retired and used as wreckages for firemen training. Since 1999, all the F and NG aircraft operated in French air forces have been converted to the last upgraded C-160R standard. ; *
Turkish Air Force The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known t ...
– 20 former West German Air Force C-160Ds delivered in 1971 ** 221 Filo at Erkilet


Civil operators

; * Air Affaires Gabon – a former prototype modified to C-160G standard was sold to Gabon in July 1976.Chillon, Dubois and Wegg 1980, pp. 116–126. ; *
Balair Belair, legally ''Belair Airlines Aktiengesellschaft, AG'', was a Switzerland, Swiss charter airline headquartered in Glattbrugg operating out of Zürich Airport and EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg. It was a subsidiary of Air Berlin and oper ...
– a pre-production aircraft was leased in 1976 to the International Red Cross Committee and operated for them by Balair.


Former operators

;Military ; *
German Air Force The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...
(''Luftwaffe'') – total: 110; after 20 were sold to Turkey: 90; October 2011 (before introduction of the Airbus A400M): 80; August 2014: 56; the last wing (4 aircraft) was disbanded on 15 December 2021. ** Air Transport Wing 61 at
Landsberg-Lech Air Base Landsberg-Lech Air Base ( German: ''Fliegerhorst Landsberg/Lech'', ICAO: ETSA) is a former German Air Force base located near the town of Landsberg am Lech in Bavaria. Landsberg was used as a transport base. It was home of Air Transport Wing ...
(disbanded 31 December 2017) **
Air Transport Wing 62 Air Transport Wing 62 (german: Lufttransportgeschwader 62) is a wing of the German Air Force (''Luftwaffe''). The wing was founded in 1959 and is currently based at Wunstorf Air Base in Lower-Saxony, Germany operating Airbus A400M fixed-wing ...
at
Wunstorf Air Base Wunstorf Air Base is a German Air Force military airfield (air base), located south-southwest of Neustadt am Rübenberge and north-northwest of Wunstorf in Lower Saxony, Germany. Wunstorf Air Base is the home to Air Transport Wing 62 (), a unit o ...
(transitioned to A400M) **
Air Transport Wing 63 Air Transport Wing 63 (german: Lufttransportgeschwader 63) was a wing of the German Air Force (''Luftwaffe''). The wing was created in 1957 and was last based at Hohn Air Base in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, operating the last German Transall C-16 ...
at
Hohn Air Base Hohn Air Base is a military air base in Germany. It was home to the ''Lufttransportgeschwader'' 63 (LTG 63 for short, Air Transport Wing 63 in English) of the German Air Force (''Luftwaffe''). Usage Since May 1968, the Transall C-160 The T ...
(disbanded 15 December 2021) ; *
South African Air Force "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...
– Nine new C-160Z delivered in 1969 and 1970, all except one scrapped, the survivor is now at the
South African Air Force Museum The South African Air Force Museum houses exhibits and restores material related to the history of the South African Air Force. The museum is divided into three locations, AFB Swartkop outside Pretoria, AFB Ysterplaat in Cape Town and at the Port ...
** 28 Squadron SAAF at
Waterkloof Waterkloof (Afrikaans for "Water Ravine") is a upmarket suburb of the city of Pretoria in the Gauteng province of South Africa, located to the east of the city centre. It is named after the original farm that stood there when Pretoria was founded ...
;Civil ; * Manunggal Air Service (defunct) *
Pelita Air PT Pelita Air Service, usually shortened to Pelita Air, or PAS, is a domestic airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Its main base is Pondok Cabe Airport. Pelita Air is listed in category 1 by Indonesian Civil Aviation Authority for airline safety q ...
(retired) ; *
Air France Air France (; formally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global air ...
on behalf of French Postal Service (retired)


Accidents and incidents

* 9 February 1975 –
German Air Force The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...
C-160D 50+63 en route to a NATO base on
Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...
entered a heavy storm, causing it to crash into a mountain. All 42 people on board were killed. * 11 May 1990 – During a routine flight from
Wunstorf Wunstorf () is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 22 km west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the town of Wunstorf: Blumenau (with Liethe), Bokeloh, Großenheidorn, Idensen ...
German Air Force 50+39 Air Transport Squadron 62 crashed into a hillside near Lohr during bad weather. The ten crew on board were all killed. * 22 October 1995 – A German Air Force C-160 50+43 crashed after takeoff in the
Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
when it collided with a telegraph pole; all seven crew on board were killed. * 15 June 2001 – PK-VTQ being operated by
Manunggal Air Services Manunggal Air Services was an airline based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It operated charter passenger and cargo services within Indonesia and neighbouring regions. Its main base was Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Jakarta. History The airline was establ ...
experienced engine problems and performed an emergency landing in
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
; during the forced landing the C-160 ran off the runway, one of the 16 passengers on board was killed. * 3 November 2021 – A civilian C-160 EY-560 burned up after landing at Dolow in Somalia.


Specifications (C-160)


See also


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* Aid, Matthew M., and Cees Wiebes. ''Secrets of Signals Intelligence During the Cold War''. Routledge, 2001. . * Blumschein, P
''Transall C-160 Life Extension and Avionics Upgrade Programs''.
NATO – RTO MP-44, 1999. * Chant, Chris. ''Compendium of Armaments and Military Hardware''. Routledge, 1987. . * Chillon, Jacques. Dubois, Jean-Pierre and Wegg, John. ''French Postwar Transport Aircraft'',
Air-Britain Air-Britain, traditionally sub-titled "The International Association of Aviation Enthusiasts", is a non-profit aviation society founded in July 1948. As from 2015, it is constituted as a British charitable trust and book publisher. History Air-Brit ...
, 1980, . * Johnson, David Eugene., Adam Grissom and Olga Oliker. ''In the Middle of the Fight: An Assessment of Medium-Armored Forces in Past Military Operations''. Rand Corporation, 2008. . * Pletschacher, Peter. "Transall Resurgent". ''
Air International ''AIR International'' is a British aviation magazine covering current defence aerospace and civil aviation topics. It has been in publication since 1971 and is currently published by Key Publishing Ltd. History and profile The magazine was fir ...
'', Vol. 20 No. 6, June 1981. . pp. 284–289. * Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83''. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. . * Rouvez, Alain and Michael Coco, Jean-Paul Paddack. ''Disconsolate Empires: French, British and Belgian Military Involvement in Post – Colonial Sub – Saharan Africa''. University Press of America, 1994. . * Wache, Siegfried. ''Transall C-160 D . In: F-40 Flugzeuge der Bundeswehr.'' Buchholz, 2004. . * Wilson, Michael.
"Transall C-160: An exercise in multi-national transport design"
''
Flight International ''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's oldes ...
'', Vol. 93, No. 3085, 25 April 1968. pp. 614–620.


External links

{{Commons
Official Luftwaffe site


1960s international military transport aircraft Twin-turboprop tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1963 High-wing aircraft France–Germany military relations